A FIRM Foundation

“These words which I command you…you shall teach them diligently to your children.”

Deu. 6:6-7  

Taken from Our Daily Bread for Personal and Family Devotions for Sept. 26/11 

Read Deuteronomy 6:1-9      

   “Before she was 2 years old, my granddaughter Katie did something that would make any grandpa proud: she began to recognize cars by make and year. This all started when she and her daddy began spending time together planning with his old collection of toy cars. Daddy would say, ‘Katie, get the 1957 Chevy, and she would pick it out of the hundreds of tiny cars. And once, while he was reading a Curious George book to her, she climbed down from his lap and ran to get a miniature Rolls Royce—exact replica of the car pictured in the book.

   If a 2-year-old child can make such connections, doesn’t that show the importance of teaching children the right things early on? We can do this by using what I call the FIRM principle: Familiarity, Interest, Recognition, and Modeling. This follows Moses’ pattern in Deuteronomy 6 of taking every opportunity to teach biblical truths so that children become familiar with them and make them a part of their lives. Using their interests as teaching opportunities, we repeat Bible stories so thy become recognizable, while modeling a godly life before them.

   Let’s give the children in our lives a FIRM foundation by teaching them about God’s love, Christ’s salvation, and the importance of godly living.” –Dave Branon

“O give us homes built firm upon the Savior,

Where Christ is Head and Counselor and Guide,

  Where every child is taught His love and favor

And gives his heart to Christ, the crucified.”  –Hart

The following is from the  Message Bible—Prov.4:1-9

“Listen, friends, to some fatherly advice;

   sit up and take notice so you’ll know how to live.

 I’m giving you good counsel;

don’ let it go in one ear and out the other.

When I was a boy at my father’s knee,

   the pride and joy of my mother,

He would sit me down and drill me:

   ‘Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live!

Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding! 

   Don’t forget one word! Don’t deviate an inch

Never walk away from wisdom—she guards your life;

   love her—she keeps her eye on you.

Above all and before all, do this: Get “wisdom!

   Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!

Throw your arms around her—believe me, you won’t regret it’

   never let her go—she’ll make your life glorious.

She’ll garland your life with grace,

   she’ll festoon your days with beauty.”

Jean’s e-mail is jowildflowers@gmail.com

Blog is  jean-oathout.blogspot.com